Valves of this kind can be used for containers, in order to securely close them before contents are taken from them for the first time. Such containers can in particular be used for contents such as pharmaceutical or cosmetic products. Securely closing a container until the first use is especially important in the case of liquids which have to be sterile, as for example eye-drops. In the present document the term ‘contents’ is used as a general term for whatever may pass through the valve and is to be understood to cover substances of all kinds, in particular liquids, pastes, ointments and gases.
It is known to provide containers with a break-away element (e.g. a twist-off pin), which must be broken away to create an opening for dispensing the contents. In most cases, the cap of such containers is provided with a socket, such that it can be used as a tool for twisting off the break-away element. A container of this kind is for example disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,703. However, this solution has the disadvantage that the closure can be difficult to use, that the spout may get contaminated during the opening and that there falls off a waste particle, namely the break-away element, during the opening.
It is further known to provide containers with a break-away element, but, in contrast to the solution described above, to permanently affix the tool for breaking-away said element to the container. This has the advantage that the tool is already mounted, which makes the container easier to use and reduces contamination during the opening procedure. In the present document, such a permanently affixed tool is denominated by the term “activator”. The procedure of opening such a valve for the first time is called “activation”.
A container of this kind, i.e. with such an activator, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,920. A vial is provided with a breakable diaphragm which has an appendix. A hollow element functions as a tool for turning the appendix and thereby breaking the diaphragm. During the dispensing the contents pass through the hollow element, which remains after the activation, i.e. first opening, affixed to the container.
However, the solution of U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,920 has the disadvantage that its production might be unnecessarily costly and that the break-away element might not be perfectly guided during the breaking process. The latter may result in a breaking which is not precise and/or which produces shavings contaminating the contents. In addition, the force to be applied by a person during an activation of the valve cannot be perfectly predetermined and may vary arbitrarily from valve to valve.
The solution of U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,920 has further the disadvantage that it is not well suited for dispensing sterile contents in more than one dose. The mechanism for reclosing it is not suited for such an application. The break-away element (appendix) is pushed back into the opening created during the activation. However, the contents which already passed said opening remain within the activator (hollow element) where they are exposed to air and other contaminants entering through the spout.